Cristiano Ronaldo signs new Madrid contract

By on September 15, 2013

Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a new three-year contract extension at Real Madrid, ruling out a possible return to Manchester United until the deal expires in 2018.

Despite speculation of Ronaldo being unhappy because of Gareth Bale’s world-record move to Madrid, the Portuguese international has agreed a deal believed to be worth €18m a year after tax that will keep him in Madrid until 2018. Madrid did not disclose whether Ronaldo received a re-signing on fee, but with the winger set to take 50% of his image rights he will be the world’s best paid player ahead of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Lionel Messi. The 2008 World Player of the Year had been entering the final two years of his contract, but now, only a year after claiming he was “sad” at Madrid, Ronaldo was beaming in stylish glasses as he put pen to paper on the new contract.

“I’m really happy here,” he said. “I’ll be here five more years. I just want to win trophies for this club.

“I appreciate the fans like me a lot to be here. I’m happy, I want to give my best on the pitch.

Ronaldo has scored 204 goals in 203 appearances for Madrid, and in all likelihood will end his career as Los Blancos’ all time top scorer ahead of Raul, who scored 323 goals for the Spanish club. But at one point last season it did not even look like Ronaldo would remain at Madrid to reach 200 goals, especially after the 28-year-old was reported as unhappy about Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale smashing Ronaldo’s world-record €94 million price tag with a move to Madrid. With Manchester United also having been on the hunt to resign the 2007/08 Uefa Champions League winner a move back to England looked imminent for Ronaldo, who has now ruled out a move back to Manchester until his contract ends, when he is 33.

“I am grateful that the president reached an agreement in the end,” Ronaldo said with a grin. “This is something I always wanted. I don’t know if I will retire at 34 but I want to satisfy the fans. That never happened [that I thought of leaving]. I am very happy.

“I will be honest with you – everyone knows I was in Manchester for six years. Manchester is in the past.

“Now my club is Real Madrid. This is my home, my family is here and I’m really happy here.

“I respect all the clubs who ask about me. But they always know that my decision, that my only goal is to be here and to play at this club until, maybe, the end of my career. The future nobody knows.”

About Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan, founder of Football Every Day, lives and breaths football from the West Coast of the United States in California. Aside from founding Football Every Day in January of 2013, Alex has also launched his own journalism career and hopes to help others do the same with FBED. He covers the San Jose Earthquakes as a beat reporter for QuakesTalk.com and his work has also been featured in the BBC's Match of the Day Magazine.